An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

In “The Thing on the Doorstep,” a servant of Edward and Asenath Derby who, after being dismissed by Edward, appears to exact some kind of blackmail from him.

Baird, Edwin (1886–1957).

First editor of WT(March 1923–April 1924). Baird was a writer for the popular magazines during the early decades of the century (HPL presumably read some of his stories in the Munsey magazines). Owner J.C.Henneberger picked Baird to edit WT,even though he seemed to have no particular expertise in weird fiction. Baird accepted five of HPL’s stories when they were submitted in May 1923 (see SL1.227) but insisted that HPL resubmit them double-spaced; HPL grudgingly did so. Although ousted as editor of WT,Baird continued to edit Henneberger’s Detective Talesand in that capacity rejected, in July 1925, HPL’s “The Shunned House.”

Balbutius, Cn[aeus].

In “The Very Old Folk,” the legatus of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior (Spain), who does not wish to investigate reports of peculiar events in the hills above Tarraco but is ordered to do so by the proconsul, P.Scribonius Libo.

Baldwin, F[ranklin] Lee (1913–1987).

Weird fiction fan and correspondent of HPL (1933–36). Baldwin first wrote HPL in the fall of 1933 proposing to issue “The Colour out of Space” as a booklet. HPL revised the tale slightly for the prospective publication, but the plan never materialized. In early 1934 HPL put Baldwin in touch with Duane W.Rimel, who by coincidence lived in the same small town (Asotin, Washington). The two took turns reading HPL’s letters to each of them. Baldwin wrote two columns of news notes for the Fantasy Fan:“Side Glances” (April, May, September 1934) and “Within the Circle” (June, July, August, October, November 1934, January, February 1935), much of the informa

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tion for which was derived from HPL’s letters to him, as was the significant early article, “H.P.Lovecraft: A Biographical Sketch,” originally scheduled to appear in the Fantasy Fanbut, following that magazine’s demise, published in Fantasy Magazine(April 1935). Baldwin later revised the article as “Some Lovecraft Sidelights” ( Fantasy Commentator,Spring 1948). Excerpts of one letter (now at JHL) were published as “Lovecraft as an Illustrator” ( Acolyte,Summer 1943). See Kenneth W.Faig, Jr., ed., Within the Circle: In Memoriam F.Lee Baldwin(Moshassuck Press, 1988).

“Ballade of Patrick von Flynn; or, The Hibernio-German-American England-Hater, Ye.” Poem (60 lines); written no later than April 23, 1915. First published in the Conservative(April 1916). A crude satire in which a group of anti-English Irishmen meet with some Germans, begin drinking, and threaten to join forces to slander England. HPL tactlessly sent the poem to the Irish-American John T.Dunn, whose reaction can be gauged by HPL’s comment: “I…am scarcely surprised that the ‘von Flynn’ ballad proved less than pleasing” (HPL to John T.Dunn, June 28, 1916; Books at Brown 38–39 [1991–92]:182). The poem is oddly prescient, as it was published at the very time of the Easter Rebellion in Dublin, when some Irish rebels joined forces with the Germans to overthrow British rule in Ireland. HPL continued to rant about the menace of unpatriotic Irish-Americans in “Lucubrations Lovecraftian” (1921).

Barlow, Robert H[ayward] (1918–1951).